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Paycheck protection ballot measures have appeared on ballots in California, Oregon and Colorado. This type of initiative or legislation is intended to prohibit public employers--state government agencies, city and county governments, and public school districts--from deducting union dues, any part of which will go into political activity, from public payroll checks without the advance authorization of the employee from whose paycheck the deduction is being taken.

History

A United States Supreme Court 9-0 ruling in June 2007 said that states may create laws granting extra protections to public-sector workers who want to be asked first before the union can spend their money on political causes. The Supreme Court ruling upheld a 1992 law in Washington approved by 73% of voters that required unions to receive "affirmative authorization" from non-member agency fee payers before spending mandatory fees on politics.[1]